so dangerous and fatiguing a navigation, the better to encourage
them, some part of their pay was advanced to them in European goods,
which they were to have leave to dispose of in the South-Seas, that
so the hopes of the great profits they were to make of their ventures,
might animate them in their duty, and render them less disposed
to repine at the labours, hardships, and perils they might in all
probability meet with, before their arrival on the coast of Peru.

Towards the latter end of February, Pizarro and his squadron got into
the latitude of Cape Horn, and then stood to the westwards in order
to double that southern promontory. But, in the night of the last of
February O.S. while turning to windward with this view, the Guipuscoa,
Hermiona, and Espranza were separated from the admiral. On the 6th
March following, the Guipuscoa was separated from the other two; and
next day, being that after we passed the Straits of Le Maire, there
came on a most furious storm at N.W. which, in spite of all their
efforts, drove the whole squadron to the eastward, and, after several
fruitless attempts, obliged them to bear away for the river of Plate.
Pizarro arrived there in the Asia about the middle of May, and was
followed a few days after by the Esperanza and Estevan. The Hermiona
was supposed to have foundered, as she was never more heard of; and
the Guipuscoa was run on shore and destroyed on the coast of Brazil.
The calamities of all kinds which this squadron underwent in their
unsuccessful attempt to double Cape Horn, can only be paralleled by
what we ourselves experienced in the same climate, when buffeted by
the same storms. There was indeed some diversity in our distresses,
rendering it difficult to decide whose situation was most worthy of
commiseration; for, to all the miseries and misfortunes we experienced
in common, as shattered rigging, leaky ships, and the fatigues and
despondency necessarily attendant on these disasters, there was
superadded on board our squadron the ravages of a most destructive
and incurable disease; and in the Spanish squadron the devastation of
famine.

It has been already observed, that this squadron left Spain with only
four months provisions on board, and even that, it is said, at short
allowance, either owing to the hurry of their outfit, or presuming
upon a supply at Buenos Ayres; so that, when their continuance at sea
was prolonged, by the storms they met with off Cape Horn, a month
o